Method of forming a lattice for concrete reinforcements by rolling comb elements onto transverse members of said lattice



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 OLLING COMB ELEMENTS BERS OF SAID LATTICEREINFORCEMENTS BY R ONTO TRANSVERSE MEM Filed April 2, 1962 R. F. OLLIER3,151,391 METHOD OF FORMING A LATTICE FOR CONCRETE 'Dnnnfarz g 51:25.00:01.1.15). 7:). e mug y hHm-nay TEIIIIIM "IIIITM Oct. 6, 1964 R. F.OLLIER 3,151,391

METHOD OF FORMING A LATTICE FOR CONCRE TS BY REINF EMEN ROLLING COMBELEME ONTO NSVERSE MEMBERS OF SAID LATTICE Filed April 2, 1962 2Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,151,391 METHOD OF FQRMENG ALATTICE FOR (IGN- CRETE REHNFQRCEMENTS BY ROLLING COMB ELEMENTS UNTGSVERSE MEMBERS OF SAD) LATTICE Roger Frangcis Gilier, Pent-a-Mousson,France, assignor to Centre de Recherches de Pont-a-Mousson, Punt-a-Mousson, Mcnrthe-et-Moseiie, France, a corporation of France Fiied Apr.2, 1962, Ser. No. 184,310 Ciaims priority, application France, Apr. 10,1961, 858,199, Patent 1,294,187 2 Ciaims. (Cl. 29-429) The presentinvention relates to the manufacture of a lattice of longitudinal andtransverse reinforcements for concrete and other articles. In thespecial case of concrete pipes, the longitudinal reinforcementsconstitute the generatrices of a cylindrical lattice whereas thetransverse reinforcements are wound helically on top of the longitudinalreinforcements at a constant pitch. However, the latter is not likely tobe maintained after the winding. It is therefore necessary to providemeans for maintaining this pitch constant after winding.

In accordance with the known technique, the spacing between thetransverse reinforcements if they are rectilinear (flat lattice) orbetween their coils in the case of a cylindrical lattice, can bemaintained constant either by welding these reinforcements or theircoils to the longitudinal reinforcements or by means of combsconstituted by rigid bars having the same length as the longitudinalreinforcements and provided with teeth evenly spaced apart at the pitchof the reinforcements or transverse coils, which pitch is to bemaintained constant. The combs are laid in a direction parallel with thelongitudinal reinforcements, the teeth of the combs are interposedbetween the reinforcements or the consecutive transverse coils and thenthese teeth are curved or bent one by one on each reinforcement or coilso as to trap the latter therein. This operation is consequently rathertime consuming.

The comb laid according to the method of this invention, comprises athin sheet metal U-sectional element whose flanges are notched atregular intervals down to a plane flush with the Web so as to render thelatter bendable, the notches in one flange facing those in the otherflange and opening out on the edge of the corresponding flange by arestricted passageway which is capable of being widened by bending saidweb in the region of each pair of facing notches formed in the twoflanges.

It will be understood that with such a comb having successive notches inopposed relation to each other in the two flanges, the spacing betweensaid notches being equal to that of the successive transversereinforcements or the successive coils of the latter, it is possible tomaintain said transverse reinforcements or coils in position oncondition that said reinforcements have a section whose diameter is lessthan that of the circular notches of the comb and greater than the widthof their restricted passageway, the introduction of a transversereinforcement in a notch of the comb being obtained by the temporarybending of the web of said comb.

As can be seen, it is no longer the teeth of the comb which are bentover the reinforcements so as to trap the latter the web of the combremaining straight, but it is the web of the comb which is bent and thenstraightened so as to open and then close the notches round thereinforcements.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of laying combsof the aforementioned type, which comprises Winding a comb of greatlength round a reel, passing the free end of said comb around and undera tension roller so as to bend the comb in the region of the first3,151,31 Patented Got. 6, 1964 pair of notches and open the latter,urging said tension roller toward the first transverse reinforcement soas to engage the latter in said pair of opened notches, rolling thetension roller along the comb from one end of the lattice to the otherin a rectilinear direction transverse to the reinforcements to be heldin position so as to unwind the comb while temporarily and successivelybending it in the region of successive pairs of notches therebytemporarily opening the latter and engaging them on the successivetransverse reinforcements, and then straightening the comb so as toclose the notches round said reinforcements.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe ensuing description, with reference to the accompanying drawings towhich the invention is in no way limited.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a reinforcing lattice for a concretepipe shown in the course of laying a comb for locking the transverse andhelical reinforcements in position;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the comb according to theinvention;

FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1, on an enlarged scale, showinghow the comb according to the in vention is placed in position, and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 4.

In the illustrated embodiment the invention is applied to the productionof a cylindrical lattice for a concrete pipe, which lattice is composedof longitudinal reinforcements A constituting the generatrices of thelattice, and reinforcements wound helically about the reinforcements Ain the form of circular coils B having a pitch p.

The reinforcements A are mounted in the known manner on a sheet metalcylinder C having end flanges D through the medium of spacing studs Edisposed between the reinforcements A and the cylinder C and are heldtaut between the flanges D to which they are secured, for example bynuts D The cylinder C is mounted in the known manner on a parallel latheT between mandrels M of this lathe for the purpose of winding thehelical reinforcements round the longitudinal reinforcements A orgeneratrices. Said helical reinforcements are wound at a pitch p and aresecured to the end of the reinforcements A and at points intermediate ofthe length of the latter.

According to the invention, the pitch p of the coils of the helicalreinforcements B is maintained constant by a number of combs P which areparallel with the reinforcements A.

Each of the combs comprises (FIG. 3) a U-sectioned thin sheet metalhaving a web 1 and slightly divergent flanges 2. This comb has thereforea U-shaped crosssection. Cut into the flanges 2 in facing relation andat intervals corresponding to the pitch p of the coils B are circularopen notches 3 having a diameter a slightly greater than the diameter dof the section of the wire of coils B (FIG. 4). The depth of the notches3 is equal to the width a of the flanges 2 so that the bottom of thenotches 3 is tangent to the flange 1 of the comb P.

Each notch opens out on the edge 4 of the corresponding flange by way ofa restricted passageway 5 Which, in the straight condition of the combP, has a width b which is less than d This passageway is defined, on oneside, by a straight edge 6 which is inclined relative to the web 1 insuitable manner for laying the comb in the manner described hereinafter,and, on the other side, by a tongue 7.

taken along line For laying or mounting on the lattice, each comb P ismounted on a mounting device G comprising a'chassis 8 (FIG. 1) carryinga reel 9 of large diameter composed for example of wood and rotativelymounted on the chassis, and a small diameter roller 1d having an axisparallel with that of the reel.

The chassis 8 is for example mounted on wheels 11 so as to constitute acarriage which moves along a runway along the lathe T in a directionparallel with the axis of rotation X-X of this lathe.

The comb P, whose length is at least equal to that of the lattice, iswound round the reel h. The web 1 in con tact with the reel has one ofits ends secured to the latter, for example by a nail 13 (FIG. 1), andis bent in the region of the notches 3. The successive coilsinterpenetrate owing to the divergence of the flanges 2.

The device G being thus equipped with the comb, the latter is mounted orlaid on the reinforcements in the following manner:

The device G is brought to one end of the lathe T (which is in theinoperative state), for example to the left end of the lathe so that thetension roller lies vertically above the first coil B and the comb P is.unwound in the direction of the arrow f so as to pass under the rollerIll and engage through the medium of its first notch 3a on the firstcoil starting from the left, as will be explained hereinafter, thisnotch being opened when it passes under the roller. Thereafter, thedevice G is moved toward the right in the direction of arrow 1 (FIGS. 1and 4).

As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 4, the web 1 of the comb P is easilybent in a progressive manner in the region of each pair of notches 3when this pair of notches passes under the roller 1t? around the axisY-Y of the minimum moment of inertia of its section. The notches 3 ofthe pair of notches under consideration open wide in passing under theroller It? so as to engage on one of the coils B which is locatedbetween the straight inclined edge 6 and the tongue 7 which is at thisforced away from the edge 6 at 7a. The roller 10 applies the web 1 ofthe comb P against the engaged coil B so that this coil is placed in thebottom of the two corresponding notches 3.

Then, as the chassis 3 continues to move in the direction of arrow fparallel with the axis XX of the lattice which remains stationary asconcerns rotation, the tension roller 10 exerts a traction on the comb Pwhich bears against the last coil B engaged by the straight edges 6 ofthe last two engaged notches 3 and is unwound from the reel 9. Theroller ill straightens the part of the comb P which has just been laidand once more renders it straight. In the course of this straighteningof the web 1 of the comb the tongue 7 of each notch moves nearer to theopposite edge 6 and traps the coil B in closing the entrance passagewayof the notch 3.

Thus, as the device G moves and as the roller 19 rolls along the web 1of the comb P, successive pairs of notches 3 in turn engage successivecoils B in firstly opening and then closing round the latter.

When the last coil B is trapped by a pair of notches 3, the comb P iscut off at the end of the lattice and then the device G is brought backto the left end of the lat tice while the lathe T rotates the lattice afraction of a rotation so as to prepare the lattice for the laying ofanother comb. Should the preceding reel be completely unwound anotherreel 9 can be placed in position of the chassis 8.

The same procedure is repeated for the laying of each comb. In this way,4 to 8 combs evenly spaced on the periphery of the lattice can be placedin position. The combs can be laid just above the reinforcements A orbetween two consecutive reinforcements A.

Owing to the combs P the transverse coils B of the lattice aremaintained at a constant distance apart from each other and the latticeis thereby reinforced. When all the combs have been placed in positionthe lattice is removed from the cylinder C and placed in a mould formoulding the concrete.

As can be seen, the notches 3 of the combs P can be compared to pinchersthe jaws of which are the straight edge 6 and the tongue '7 which arepivoted about the axis Y--Y (FIGS. 4 and 5) of the minimum moment ofinertia of the section of the web 1. Owing to the depth a of the notches3, which is equal to the width of the flanges 2, the bottom of thenotches 3 being tangent to the web 1, the flanges 2 undergo no foldingor orinkling. Only the web 1 is bent successively in the region of eachpair of notches; therefore, no tearing of the metal occurs in theportions of the flanges defining the notches.

The combs P and the laying device G are very simple and very strong. Thelaying device requires no maintenance. It should also be noted thatowing to the absence of welding, the strength of the reinforcements isparticularly increased by the fact that the effect of the drop in thetensile strength of about 20 to 30% caused by welding is avoided.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described, manymodifications and changes may be made therein without departing from thescope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

The invention is also applicable to the locking of transverse or obliquelattice reinforcements disposed in plane layers, in which case thecarriage and its runway undergo a displacement relative to the latticein the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal reinforcements afterthe laying of each comb and before laying the following comb.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. A method of assembling transverse members in fixed spaced relation toeach other in a lattice structure, which comprises:

supporting said transverse members in the required spaced positions in afixed plane; providing a comb consisting of an inverted, substantiallyU-shaped sheet metal element having two longitudinally extending,slightly divergent flanges of equal width, and a longitudinallyextending flexible web interconnecting said flanges at their upperedges, said flanges being dependent from said web;

said flanges having pairs of aligned notches, in facing relation, saidpairs of notches being on parallel axes, said pairs of notches beingspaced longitudinally of said flanges a distance from each othercorresponding to the spacing of said transverse members;

each of said notches comprising an aperture, the top of which abuts theweb, said aperture being substantially circular and having a diameterslightly greater than the cross-sectional dimension of said transversemembers, and an entrance passageway, narrower than said aperture andconnecting said aperture to the longitudinal bottom edge of said flange;

each of said passageways having a contour including a first portioninclined upwardly from said bottom edge and defining one side of saidpassageway and merging into said substantially circular aperture, and asecond portion defining the other side of said passageway and extendingbetween a lower part of said aperture and said bottom edge of saidflange, said second contour portion being such as to permit the part ofthe comb adjacent thereto to be bent upwardly and downwardly about thetransverse axis of minimum moment of inertia of the portion of saidsheet metal element at the location of the pair of notches which one ofsaid transverse members is about to engage;

winding said comb around a reel;

effecting a comb-laying operation for lockingly engaging the pairs ofaligned notches with said transverse .members, said operation consistingin first passing the free end of said comb around and under a tensionroller, the diameter of which is small enough to bend the comb in theregion of the first pair of notches as said comb travels around saidroller; whereby the second portions of said contour are first of saidsuccessive transverse members, and finally sectioning the length of saidcomb thus assembled with said transverse members from the rest of thethe distance between said parallel axes being the same winding the firstcomb around a reel;

bent upwardly away from the first portions of said 5 eifecting a firstcomb-lying operation for lockingly encontour in the portion of said combthat is about gaging successive pairs of notches with successive toengage a first transverse member, therby enlargportions of saidhelically wound transverse member, ing said entrance passageways to adimension greater said operation consisting in first passing the freeend than the diameter of said transverse member, and of said first combaroundand under a tension roller, permitting the latter to enter saidentrance passage- 10 the diameter of which is small enough to bend theways; said first transverse member becoming enfirst comb in the regionof the first pair of notches as gaged in said apertures in said firstpair of notches; said comb travels around said roller; whereby the thenmoving said comb under said roller, thereby flexsecond portions of saidcontour are first bent uping said web and bending said second contourporwardly away from said first portions of said contour tions downwardlytoward said first contour portions, in the portion of said comb that isabout to engage thereby narrowing said entrance passageways to a firstportion of said transverse member, thereby encapture said firsttransverse member inside said first larging said entrance passageways toa dimension pair of notches and to prevent said first transverse greaterthan the diameter of said transverse member, member from escaping fromsaid first pair of notches, permitting the first portion of the latterto enter said without hindering said downward bending by saidpassageways of said first pair of notches; thereby entransverse member;gaging said first portion of said transverse member in and continuingthe comb-laying operation by engaging said apertures of said first pairof notches;

the second and successive pairs of said notches on then moving saidfirst comb under said roller, thereby the second and successivetransverse members, said flexing said b d b di id second contour r0lle1'eing r l d a g d Comb longitudinally, in portions of said first pair ofnotches downwardly a direction Parallel With Said fiXfid P and in Q16toward said first contour portions of said first pair dlleCtlOll lilWhlCh said SCCODd COIllOllI POlllGIlS 2116 of notches [hereby narrowingaid entrance passage. p y bent, from Said first transverse member toways to capture said first portion of said transverse to the lasttransverse member, thereby causing each member i id id fi t i f notchesd to Successive P of notches to engage and retain each vent the escapeof said first portion of said transverse member from said first pair ofnotches, Without hindering said downward bending by said first portionof said transverse member;

comb. 2. A method of assembling portions of a helically wound transversemember in fixed spaced relation to each other in a cylindrical latticestructure having a longitudinal shaft, comprising:

supporting said helically wound transverse member on a cylindricalsupport rotative on said shaft;

providing a first comb consisting of an inverted, substantially U-shapedsheet metal element having two longitudinal, slightly divergent, flangesof equal width and a longitudinally extending flexible webinterconnecting said flanges at their upper edges, said flanges beingdependent from said web;

said flanges having pairs of aligned notches, in facing relation, saidpairs of notches being on parallel axes, said pairs of notches beingspaced longitudinally of said flanges a distance from each othercorresponding to the spacing of said portions of said helically woundtransverse member;

each of said notches having an aperture, the top of which abuts saidweb, said aperture being substantially circular and having a diameterslightly greater than that of said transverse member, and an entrancepassageway narrower than said aperture and connecting said aperture withthe longitudinal bottom edge of said flange;

each of said passageways having a contour including a first portioninclined upwardly from said bottom edge and defining one side of saidentrance passageway and merging into said substantially circularaperture, and a second portion defining the other side of saidpassageway and extending between a lower part of said aperture and saidbottom edge of said flange, said second contour portion being such as tocontinuing the laying operation of said first comb by engaging a secondand successive pairs of notches on a second and successive portions ofsaid transverse member, said roller being rolled along said first comb,longitudinally in the direction in which said second contour portions ofsaid notches are bent upwardly from the bottom edgesof said flanges,from the first portion of said transverse member to the last portionthereof, thereby causing successive pairs of the notches of said firstcomb to engage and retain successive spaced portions of said transversemember;

then effecting a first rotation of said cylindrical support over a firstfraction of a revolution corresponding to the required circumferentialspacing between said first comb and a second comb, thereby rotating saidtransverse member over said fraction of a revolution, and then repeatingthe comb-laying operation with said second comb, laying the latterparallel with said first comb, to assemble said second comb with asecond series of portions of said transverse member spaced from saidportions assembled with said first comb;

further continuing the rotation of said support and said transversemember over successive, substantially equal, fractions of a revolution,after said first rotation; at the end of each of said fractions ofrevolution, repeating said comb-laying operation to engage additionalcombs with additional spaced portions of said transverse member, untilsaid fractional revolutions have covered a full circle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS permitthe part of said first comb adjacent thereto 571,575 Norwood Nov.17,1896 to be bent upwardly and downwardly about the trans- 894,711Worcester July 28, 1908 verse axis of minimum moment of inertia of the2,050,074 Trytten -Aug. 4, 1936 portion of said sheet metal element atthe location 2,274,125 Carney Feb. 24, 1942 of the notch which one ofsaid portions of said 2,310,507 Bodey Feb. 9, 1943 transverse member isabout to engage; 2,916,072 Hallam Dec. 8, 1959

1. A METHOD OF ASSEMBLING TRANSVERSE MEMBERS IN FIXED SPACED RELATION TOEACH OTHER IN A LATTICE STRUCTURE, WHICH COMPRISES: SUPPORTING SAIDTRANSVERSE MEMBERS IN THE REQUIRED SPACED POSITIONS IN A FIXED PLANE;PROVIDING A COMB CONSISTING OF AN INVERTED, SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED SHEETMETAL ELEMENT HAVING TWO LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING, SLIGHTLY DIVERGENTFLANGES OF EQUAL WIDTH, AND A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING FLEXIBLE WEBINTERCONNECTING SAID FLANGES AT THEIR UPPER EDGES, SAID FLANGES BEINGDEPENDENT FROM SAID WEB; SAID FLANGES HAVING PAIRS OF ALIGNED NOTCHES,IN FACING RELATION, SAID PAIRS OF NOTCHES BEING ON PARALLEL AXES, SAIDPAIRS OF NOTCHES BEING SPACED LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID FLANGES A DISTANCEFROM EACH OTHER CORRESPONDING TO THE SPACING OF SAID TRANSVERSE MEMBERS;EACH OF SAID NOTCHES COMPRISING AN APERTURE, THE TOP OF WHICH ABUTS THEWEB, SAID APERTURE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR AND HAVING A DIAMETERSLIGHTLY GREATER THAN THE CROSS-SECTIONAL DIMENSION OF SAID TRANSVERSEMEMBERS, AND AN ENTRANCE PASSAGEWAY, NARROWER THAN SAID APERTURE ANDCONNECTING SAID APERTURE TO THE LONGITUDINAL BOTTOM EDGE OF SAID FLANGE;EACH OF SAID PASSAGEWAYS HAVING A CONTOUR INCLUDING A FIRST PORTIONINCLINED UPWARDLY FROM SAID BOTTOM EDGE AND DEFINING ONE SIDE OF SAIDPASSAGEWAY AND MERGING INTO SAID SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR APERTURE, AND ASECOND PORTION DEFINING THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID PASSAGEWAY AND EXTENDINGBETWEEN A LOWER PART OF SAID APERTURE AND SAID BOTTOM EDGE OF SAIDFLANGE, SAID SECOND CONTOUR PORTION BEING SUCH AS TO PERMIT THE PART OFTHE COMB ADJACENT THERETO TO BE BENT UPWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY ABOUT THETRANSVERSE AXIS OF MINIMUM MOMENT OF INERTIA OF THE PORTION OF SAIDSHEET METAL ELEMENT AT THE LOCATION OF THE PAIR OF NOTCHES WHICH ONE OFSAID TRANSVERSE MEMBERS IS ABOUT TO ENGAGE; WINDING SAID COMB AROUND AREEL; EFFECTING A COMB-LAYING OPERATION FOR LOCKINGLY ENGAGING THE PAIRSOF ALIGNED NOTCHES WITH SAID TRANSVERSE MEMBERS, SAID OPERATIONCONSISTING IN FIRST PASSING THE FREE END OF SAID COMB AROUND AND UNDER ATENSION ROLLER, THE DIAMETER OF WHICH IS SMALL ENOUGH TO BEND THE COMBIN THE REGION OF THE FIRST PAIR OF